Verbatim

'Change has come to America.' BARACK OBAMA, addressing supporters in Chicago after defeating John McCain to become the first African-American President in U.S. history

'If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago.' JOHN MCCAIN, responding to Obama's claims during the final presidential debate that his policies mirrored those of George W. Bush

'I just don't want to see us fall backwards, you know?' HILLARY CLINTON, getting choked up while answering a question about campaign exhaustion in January. She won the New Hampshire primary the next day